How to Protect Children from Accidents and Injury

Posted by admin on October 16, 2009

We do our best to give our children a good upbringing and a solid education. We vaccinate them against illness and teach them not to talk to strangers. But did you know that negligence in manufacturing children’s toys, clothes and other products can pose serious dangers to our little ones? In 2007, recalled children’s products caused nearly 700 injuries and six deaths among children. It goes without saying, of course, that firearms, machinery such as nail guns and lawn mowers, and even furniture can be extremely dangerous when it comes to children. In fact, tens of thousands of children have been injured by bleachers, bunk beds, lawnmowers, toys, lamps, swings, window treatments and many other products that we and our children use on a daily basis.

Child safety and product liability is an issue that is close to home at Stampone Law. Recently we represented a client who was severely and permanently injured when, at the age of six, he climbed into a running washing machine during the spin cycle. His injuries could have and should have been prevented if the safety features installed on the washing machine were not defective. So the question remains, how do we keep our children safe from consumer products? Here is a list of things every parent should do.

• Check for recalls. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) maintains an on-line database of recalled consumer products. All parents should be mindful of what specific products and what product features pose a risk of injury to children. Avoiding contact with harmful products is the best way to prevent injury. The on-line database can be found at www.cpsc.gov. The website also includes a reporting service so you can file a report with the CPSC regarding a product that you think may be unsafe.
• Actively look for potential hazards. Not all potentially harmful products will be recalled. Make sure that products are age and size appropriate. Toys with small loose parts should be avoided with small children. Spacing between the bars of a crib or bunk bed guard should be small enough to prevent a child’s head from passing between the bars. Avoid garments with pull strings as they pose a risk of strangulation for young children.
• Assume your child will find your gun. Approximately 365 children under the age of 15 die annually in the United States due to accidental shootings with handguns. Because of current legislation, handguns do not fall under the category of “consumer product” and therefore are not subject to the scrutiny of the CPSC. As such, many firearms on the market are “defective” in that they do not have the necessary safety features installed that would prevent them from being fired by children. Firearms and ammunition should be kept locked away separately and out of the reach of children. Never leave loaded firearms in your home.
• Never leave a child unattended. Safety features should not be considered fail-safe. Never depend on a product’s built in safety features because all things are susceptible to human error and degradation from use. Children should never be left unattended around major appliances or tools such as washing machines, dryers, lawnmowers, paper shredders and pool pumps. The best safety feature available to you is adult supervision.